Objective:

To describe the experience of the Hospital Universitario San Vicente Fundación in the surgical management of endocarditis using a minimally invasive technique.

Methodology:

A descriptive, longitudinal study was conducted on a retrospective sample of patients intervened for valve surgery using a minimally invasive technique. The patients were diagnosed with infectious endocarditis between January 2012 and August 2015 in the Hospital Universitario San Vicente Fundación, Medellin.

Results:

A total of 15 patients had surgery due to endocarditis in the 44 months of the study. Most of them (93.3%) were male. The mean age was 46.2 years, and 40% were in functional Class III and IV (New York Heart Association classification). Two patients had cerebral embolisation, and one patient, 2 patients required hybrid coronary management. A total of 6 grafts and 8 valve replacements were performed, with mitral valve involvement in 46.6%. The mean extracorporeal circulation time was 103 minutes. The mean blood products transfused was 2.5 units of blood cells. There were no deaths in the first 30 days after the surgery. There were no reports of infections at the surgical site, cerebrovascular accidents, atrial fibrillation or definite pacemakers. Neither were there were any re-interventions due to bleeding.

Conclusions:

Valve surgery using a right anterior mini-thoracotomy for the management of endocarditis, is a safe procedures with good outcomes in this hospital. It also re-affirms the advantages of minimally invasive surgery.

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